 Poster: A snowHead
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Hello all, I wasn't sure where to post this but we're moving to The Dolomites in November, going back over in September to secure a lease/sort out the residency permits and was wondering if any Snowheads were living in the region full time or split their time between their home country and there? Going to be buying a car, opening bank accounts etc so any advice from locals is always gratefully received.
We've registered for rentals with Immobliare, Idealista and Engel & Volkers but would welcome any additional suggestions about agents to contact as we have a dog and that seems to reduce the pool for any available/suitable properties quite considerably.
Many thanks.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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No advice -- but, lucky man !!
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Welcome to Snowheads @Dolomike,  . We'll be interested to hear how you get on, and no doubt envious at times!
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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@Dolomike, welcome. Great user name!
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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@Dolomike, welcome to snowHeads and good luck with an exciting project. 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Thanks for the welcome and kind wishes
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Good luck. Sounds really exciting. Envious.
Having tried to rent in NZ and UK with a dog it can be more difficult. Ended up renting larger/more expensive properties than needed.
Recollect a couple moving to Italy in 'a new place in the sun' and they had to keep coming back to the UK with the 90 day rule as residency took some time. They had bought a property. How are you going about this or are you Irish?
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Post some pix during the season on here.
Lot of folks like the Dollys.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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The whole of the region is a pretty magical place but there are some subtle differences - geographical as well as cultural - between the more Austrian feeling northern side or the mainly Italian parts.
Roughly where in the area are you planning to live?
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@Dolomike, can't help but are you UK citizens ? if so I'd be interested to know how you found the residency process...
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@Dolomike, Where in the Dolomites? I've often fantasized about that but realized I would need a trust fund (just because I wouldn't want to work at all, summer nor winter!)
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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Hi, I worked two months in dobbiaco summer 1990. Was thinking what could still be relevant, the most obvious the locals don’t care about football and I loved (the World Cup was on but not in s Tyrol ). It was really easy to open a bank account, hope that has not changed after Brexit. Italians went to get petrol in Austria, the Austrian did their food shopping in Italy. Finally my landlady did not speak a word of Italian. Where are you going to base yourself? So jealous
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| richb67 wrote: |
| @Dolomike, can't help but are you UK citizens ? if so I'd be interested to know how you found the residency process... |
Exactly this. Much more difficult post Brexit - I have a work colleague who managed to get the whole residency process finalised just before a cut off date (end 21 or something - it was extended). It was pretty complex then. How easy is it now?
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You know it makes sense.
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@Dolomike I'm going to follow this as well, sounds very interesting.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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| hawkesbaynz wrote: |
Good luck. Sounds really exciting. Envious.
Having tried to rent in NZ and UK with a dog it can be more difficult. Ended up renting larger/more expensive properties than needed.
Recollect a couple moving to Italy in 'a new place in the sun' and they had to keep coming back to the UK with the 90 day rule as residency took some time. They had bought a property. How are you going about this or are you Irish? |
Apologies, I didn’t get a notification of newer replies.
Not Irish, British and it was a challenge but if you meet the criteria and literally cover every base so that the bureaucrats can’t throw it back at you then you stand a decent chance of having a successful application.
Our Italian lawyer did warn us that rejections were at an unprecedented level and to be as meticulous as possible
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Poster: A snowHead
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| Whitegold wrote: |
Post some pix during the season on here.
Lot of folks like the Dollys. |
Will do
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| Skeet wrote: |
The whole of the region is a pretty magical place but there are some subtle differences - geographical as well as cultural - between the more Austrian feeling northern side or the mainly Italian parts.
Roughly where in the area are you planning to live? |
That’s going to be driven more by what properties are available/ suitable.
We have a dog and like England, many landlords/owners won’t accept pets, it is what it is and we’ll find something, we’ve got a few to look at.
Heading over in 2 weeks to hopefully nab something.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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| richb67 wrote: |
| @Dolomike, can't help but are you UK citizens ? if so I'd be interested to know how you found the residency process... |
Yes British.
It was nerve racking due to our Italian lawyer throwing his hands up in the air due to the amount of rejections he was experiencing and hearing of, undeterred though I plodded on and tried to “dot every I & cross every t”. Eg bank statements must not only be original but be stamped by the bank.
Source as many original documents/letters as possible with a wet signature, basically I tried to not let them have a reason to refuse but it was never guaranteed, if they have quotas , they’ll find a way to say, no so I guess luck was also involved.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| Pasigal wrote: |
| @Dolomike, Where in the Dolomites? I've often fantasized about that but realized I would need a trust fund (just because I wouldn't want to work at all, summer nor winter!) |
Not sure yet, tbc.
Work is verboten on an elective visa, hopefully things go according to plan but you never know what’s around the corner
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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| Harrow lady wrote: |
| Hi, I worked two months in dobbiaco summer 1990. Was thinking what could still be relevant, the most obvious the locals don’t care about football and I loved (the World Cup was on but not in s Tyrol ). It was really easy to open a bank account, hope that has not changed after Brexit. Italians went to get petrol in Austria, the Austrian did their food shopping in Italy. Finally my landlady did not speak a word of Italian. Where are you going to base yourself? So jealous |
Thanks for sharing, that area is of interest as you have Kronplatz and The Drei Zinnen, we’d be happy in that area for starters for sure
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| buchanan101 wrote: |
| richb67 wrote: |
| @Dolomike, can't help but are you UK citizens ? if so I'd be interested to know how you found the residency process... |
Exactly this. Much more difficult post Brexit - I have a work colleague who managed to get the whole residency process finalised just before a cut off date (end 21 or something - it was extended). It was pretty complex then. How easy is it now? |
Quite complex, depending on your situation though and the type of visa you’re aiming for. With all the AML stuff now and bureaucrats/ organisations demanding large amounts of paperwork, it’s certainly not straightforward but doable.
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| DixieDean wrote: |
| @Dolomike I'm going to follow this as well, sounds very interesting. |
Thanks, I will try to post stuff going forwards plus it may be of help/interest to others who want to make the move
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Thanks all for you interest and replies, very much appreciated
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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| Dolomike wrote: |
| richb67 wrote: |
| @Dolomike, can't help but are you UK citizens ? if so I'd be interested to know how you found the residency process... |
Yes British.
It was nerve racking due to our Italian lawyer throwing his hands up in the air due to the amount of rejections he was experiencing and hearing of, undeterred though I plodded on and tried to “dot every I & cross every t”. Eg bank statements must not only be original but be stamped by the bank.
Source as many original documents/letters as possible with a wet signature, basically I tried to not let them have a reason to refuse but it was never guaranteed, if they have quotas , they’ll find a way to say, no so I guess luck was also involved. |
interesting thanks.
An Italian friend has just moved back to Italy with his non Italian wife and says the bureaucracy is terrible for everything, even for Italians moving from one area to another. They seem to have forms for everything and also still want to physically stamp stuff ! For the first few months he was forever having to go to the town hall for something or other. Evidently when Italians move house you have to physically go to the town hall to register that you now live in that town.
How is your Italian ? (or German I guess depending on where you end up).
One more question, I hope that you don't mind me asking - roughly how much was the lawyer to help with the process?
ps good luck !
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| richb67 wrote: |
| Evidently when Italians move house you have to physically go to the town hall to register that you now live in that town. |
that's not just an Italian one, we've had to do the same since moving to Austria. Here they call it a Meldezettel, and you have to do this within 3 days of arriving, and then every time you move. Fortunately the town halls open quite early, so you can nip in on the way to work, but it's similarly bureaucratic just over the border too!
Mrs Swskier is currently getting her visa, and in order for her to get a visa for the maximum initial term (2 years) we need a rental agreement of at least that length to prove she's serious about staying here. As if we'd uproot our lives here with her having no intentions of staying long term!?
But then it also seems that 2 or 3 year rental agreements are just the norm here, rather than a 6 month moving to 1 month rolling that is common back in the UK.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@swskier, I got my meldezettel (second home) by email, just emailed the gemeinde with the copies of my documents and they emailed and posted it within a few days
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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@holidayloverxx, think I read somewhere it was possible to do a move via email, so that bodes well!
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| richb67 wrote: |
| Dolomike wrote: |
| richb67 wrote: |
| @Dolomike, can't help but are you UK citizens ? if so I'd be interested to know how you found the residency process... |
Yes British.
It was nerve racking due to our Italian lawyer throwing his hands up in the air due to the amount of rejections he was experiencing and hearing of, undeterred though I plodded on and tried to “dot every I & cross every t”. Eg bank statements must not only be original but be stamped by the bank.
Source as many original documents/letters as possible with a wet signature, basically I tried to not let them have a reason to refuse but it was never guaranteed, if they have quotas , they’ll find a way to say, no so I guess luck was also involved. |
interesting thanks.
An Italian friend has just moved back to Italy with his non Italian wife and says the bureaucracy is terrible for everything, even for Italians moving from one area to another. They seem to have forms for everything and also still want to physically stamp stuff ! For the first few months he was forever having to go to the town hall for something or other. Evidently when Italians move house you have to physically go to the town hall to register that you now live in that town.
How is your Italian ? (or German I guess depending on where you end up).
One more question, I hope that you don't mind me asking - roughly how much was the lawyer to help with the process?
ps good luck ! |
Yes, Italy is very bureacratic bur form filling is pretty intensive in the UK too eg I opened a brokerage account a couple of years ago, it was a company account, 2 people in the company, myself and my wife, no employees/3rd parties just us and they insisted that I produce a flow chart.....a flow chart for 2 people! You couldn't make it up.
I'm taking Italian lessons, very slow as my 60 year old sieve like brain struggles remembering things, learning a new language is a younger man's game but it's essential so I'll plod on with it.
The lawyer's fees? I'd rather not talk about Dollars & Cents publicly but if you're considering the process DM me for details.
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You know it makes sense.
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@dolomike. Sounds like you are going at it Belts & Braces. Good luck. Skied in Kronplatz on a SH Bash. Nice area. Ortisei seemed a nice town too with easy access to main Dolomites ski area.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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| hawkesbaynz wrote: |
| @dolomike. Sounds like you are going at it Belts & Braces. Good luck. Skied in Kronplatz on a SH Bash. Nice area. Ortisei seemed a nice town too with easy access to main Dolomites ski area. |
Thank you.
Yes Kronplatz is nice, we skied there in Feb but never got to The 3 Zinnen, did you?
We took a bus to Ortisei, agree, it is a nice town.
So many nice places!
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Poster: A snowHead
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| Dolomike wrote: |
I'm taking Italian lessons, very slow as my 60 year old sieve like brain struggles remembering things, learning a new language is a younger man's game but it's essential so I'll plod on with it.
The lawyer's fees? I'd rather not talk about Dollars & Cents publicly but if you're considering the process DM me for details. |
yes learning when you're older isn't as easy but at least you have more time (and probably money).
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| richb67 wrote: |
| Dolomike wrote: |
I'm taking Italian lessons, very slow as my 60 year old sieve like brain struggles remembering things, learning a new language is a younger man's game but it's essential so I'll plod on with it.
The lawyer's fees? I'd rather not talk about Dollars & Cents publicly but if you're considering the process DM me for details. |
yes learning when you're older isn't as easy but at least you have more time (and probably money). |
It's painful both for me and my poor teacher! One app I've found to be very helpful is Language Transfer, deals with the learning in a different way.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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ATM I like Yabla, it's a video site but they have a new feature where you repeat phrases and it gives you feedback. So you can watch a short video then repeat the phrases where prompted, get feedback on your pronunciation or click on a word to hear how it's should be pronounced by a native speaker. Very useful when you don't have much opportunity to speak Italian.
will take a look at language transfer
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Thanks, similarly will check out Yabla
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Hey all, well we were moving to The Dolomites but for several reasons were unable to do so but we did make it to The Vinschgau/Val Venosta region and we moved here on 15/11/23, it's been a bit nuts since then but we're settling in now.
It's a lovely area, it's different to The Dolomites in many ways, significantly less skiing but so far so good. We've only been to Sulden Am Ortler so far which is about 35 minutes by car for us from Schluderns/Sluderno, quite a few runs/lifts were closed but it was lovely to just put on some skis and......erm....ski.
Hoping to go to Haideralm/Malga San Valentino - Schöneben/Belpiano tomorrow roughly 20 minutes by car.
Some great walking very close to our rental with lots of trails to many of the local towns/villages.
My aim going forwards would be to help anyone else thinking of moving to Italy (if I can) as the bureaucratic practices are quite a challenge both before and after arrival, luckily our landlords have been super helpful but it can all be rather daunting eg we bought some Italian sim cards, had to do it in our landlords' names as we didn't have the required papers but I set up the auto monthly payment with my card, 3 weeks later it still wasn't sorted so the sim cards hadn't been activated because it's a non-Italian card. The landlord paid and the sims were working the next day and it's vital as we need an Italian number to open our bank accounts (we tried using our UK numbers and it didn't work so will go back to open the accounts hopefully this week) - so small things like this can cause larger headaches.
The 2 German banks with a huge local presence are Raiffeisen & Sparkasse but neither have English on their app so we went to Merano (fantastic place from what we saw) to open an account with one of the Italian banks that do have English on their app, plus when you renew your residency after 1 year you'll need statements in Italian.
Merano is about 70 minutes by car for us and we will definitely spend a day there to check it out, lots of beautiful buildings and plenty of services that can't be found necessarily locally, there's also Merano 2000 for skiing which is included on the ski pass.
99% of people speak German here so all those Italian lessons were unnecessary!
So I just wanted to check in and give an update and if anyone is moving to Italy or the Vinschgau/Val Venosta and had some questions, with my limited experience, I'll try to help.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@Dolomike, enjoy!
BTW, I have the Raiffeisen app and it either is in English or it auto translates (I have it switched on permanently)
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Thanks.
The app for the South Tyrol is a slightly different app, same for Sparkasse. Both apps elsewhere in Europe are in English but in this region, both are only in DE/IT, I did go into both banks and email them to check.
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@Dolomike, Just out of curiosity, why did you settle on Val Venosta? I confess I hadn't even heard of it so went to the interwebs...looks fabulous; our experience has been that the most "authentic" mountain areas are not the most popular.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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@Pasigal It was mainly down to a lack of rental options. The main one was because of our dog and we found that 90-95% of landlords in The Dolomites wouldn't accept a dog, next we found those that would had "tourism" leases and not "residency" leases and in order to register our residency with the local authority we needed a residential type lease, finally many places in the Dolomites eg Bolzano/Brunico insist that the tenant has to have lived locally for at least 4 years so when you added all of these factors up we were unable to have many viewings and we we were looking far and wide.
Perhaps something would have come up eventually but that would have meant delaying the move and plans were already in place.
We knew Engel & Volkers had 2 properties in the area so we drove over and picked one, that was it really, it was down to a lack of options, but we knew we could ski and hike here and said we'd give it a go for a couple of years, maybe in 2 years time we'll buy something nearer to The Dolomites
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@Dolomike, makes sense. I'm a journalist and years ago wrote an article on buying property in the Dolomites (specifically Cortina) for foreigners. I was surprised at how difficult it is (and that most properties there change hands essentially privately). It's not at all like the French Alps, where you can basically just show up with money or a mortgage...
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